Kylian Mbappe admits he is full of pride after helping France qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Les Bleus secured their place after beating Ukraine 4-0 in their penultimate group stage match, securing top spot in their group.
Mbappe was on the scoresheet twice, alongside Michael Olise and Hugo Ekitike.
There were post-match celebrations in Paris at full time, as Didier Deschamps now looks to reclaim the lost national title in 2022.
Speaking after the match, Mbappé said: “Pride. You should never take it for granted; today it is becoming normal, but that has not always been the case in the history of the France team.
“We had to be as reasonable as possible and keep in mind that the most important thing was the commemoration. On the pitch, we tried to get the job done. We picked up the pace in the second half. Afterwards, we played our game, we created chances and I think people had a good evening.”
History in the making
Mbappe also marked the evening with his 400th career goal and also moved closer to Olivier Giroud as France’s all-time top scorer.
Reflecting on the moment, he added: “400 doesn’t impress people, if you want to be in that circle that shocks people, you have to score another 400.”
“Cristiano Ronaldo’s 1,000 goals? It’s unreal. But let’s try the unreal, we have to try, we only have one career.
“I had to be the best version of myself to be able to go to the World Cup. Last year was difficult for me with the national team, this season I had to show that the national team is important to me.
“On a mission? Everyone knows and can talk about football, but playing in a World Cup… only those who have played there know that it’s special, it’s a privilege to represent your country in the eyes of the world.”
Regarding next summer’s tournament, he concluded: “Of course, we are going there to win, like the 48 other teams. It’s a dream to be able to put the third star on the French team’s jersey.
“We must take advantage of this 2022 World Cup final to go there with confidence. We will wait for the draw and focus on the first group matches.”
